


Trust, But Check

by griff_dee



Category: Cow Chop
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, GTA AU, M/M, Time Skips, Whump, aleks fakes his accent but not his friendships, author is very concerned with how this came out, some angst i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 19:58:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11088858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/griff_dee/pseuds/griff_dee
Summary: "Upon seeing this man for the first time Nova notes that he wasn't nearly as wrapped up in jackets and coats as the others, only baring black leather and a beanie. With his brow set downward, the shadows created an unfriendly feel that radiated off him.Nova would not say he's 'intimidated' by him, hell this guy is a foot shorter then him. Until he sees what he's actually capable of, an attitude will not affect Nova."This," Kootra gestures to the man, disrupting Novas observations, "is Immortal.""Is it now?" Nova inquired, "'Bout damn time you showed up.""Apologies for late start." The man -Immortal apparently- said monotonously, the Russian accent assaulted Novas ears, "we start now?" Looking at Nova like he offended the guy."---or the one where Aleks still has a russian accent unless he trusts you.





	Trust, But Check

**Author's Note:**

> THIS TOOK ME NINE DAYS TO WRITE BECAUSE I CANT FOCUS ON ANYTHING. i was really fascinated by the idea from this tumblr post (http://allhailthenerdmage.tumblr.com/post/160991601101/i-love-the-idea-of-aleks-speaking-in-a-super-thick) and decided to write it. I may have made it a slash fic by accident? it wasn't i was going for but oh well, its there if you squint. This is not at all my regular format so please tell me how it is in the comments, or if theres any typos or mistakes, cause its currently 1;38 am and I've been trying to power write for the past five hours. but thank you, i really hope this turned out okay, enjoy -griff

 

> {~}

 

  
"We'd like to bring in someone new." Kootra had said that one fateful day.

 

Yeah sure, they'd been stretched thin lately, what with Sly and Seamus leaving. But Nova didn't think they needed a new person.

 

"What, for good?" He asked, looking to Dan who was sat next to Kootra.

 

Dan pulls a face, tilted his head and stretched his mouth into a line, "maybe, if he's good enough for us. We're willing to give him a chance."

 

Nova chews his lip, "And who is 'he'?"

 

Neither of them answered the question he asked -Nova wondered if it was because they didn't even know-, just explained how good at his job he was. Apparently the guy is an exceptional knife man, con man and gets good intel. That's all Nova knew.

 

Kootra explained that -much to Nova's disliking- they'd have to wait until the mission to meet the guy in person.

 

  
\---

 

  
"This is all so stupid." Nova groaned leaning back on the car. It was dark and cold and he was angry.

 

This was such an important job, could make or break _all_  of their careers. And the _guy_  was late.

 

"Tell us how you really feel." Aron rolled his eyes, monotone voice annoying Nova further. He was sat inside the car with his legs hanging out the door open.

 

"Doesn't this bug you?" Nova gripped the door and looked to Aron, who looked back up in silent question, "They're bringing in a new guy the _day_  of this big of a job?"

 

Aron sighs loudly, "I'm in no position to question this guys policy."

 

Nova scuffs and shakes his head, "No, of course not." He muttered.

 

"Nova, Aron!" Kootra called, both men turned, expecting just Kootra and Dan but there was a third.

 

Must be the asshole then.

 

Upon seeing this man for the first time Nova notes that he wasn't nearly as wrapped up in jackets and coats as the others, only baring black leather and a beanie. With his brow set downward, the shadows created an unfriendly feel that radiated off him.

 

Nova would not say he's 'intimidated' by him, hell this guy is a foot shorter then him. Until he sees what he's actually capable of, an attitude will not affect Nova.

 

"This," Kootra gestures to the man, disrupting Novas observations, "is Immortal."

 

"Is it now?" Nova inquired, "'Bout damn time you showed up."

 

"Apologies for late start." The man - _Immortal apparently_ \- said monotonously, the Russian accent assaulted Novas ears, "we start now?" Looking at Nova like _he_  offended the guy.

 

  
\---

 

  
The job went smoothly, thanks to Immortal. After that he became a permeant feature to The Creatures.

 

Nova wasn't sure how he feels about the other yet. Maybe because he was still bitter about Seamus and Sly leaving. Okay yes he was still _very_  bitter.

 

It's not that he doesn't like Immortal, like Dan seems to think but it's not. He's just being more hesitant around Immortal. With good reason. He doesn't actually know the guy yet. Immortal is hesitant around Nova too. Trust is a two way street of course.

 

  
\---

 

  
"Nova you can handle that right?" Dans voice suddenly made it through his ears. He never paid attention to these 'meetings', they never talked about anything of real importance anyway. Of course the one time they _do_ Nova misses it.

 

"What?" Nova looks to each face, koots sighs, Aron rolls his eyes, dan smiles showing that he's on his last straw, and Immortal huffs a small laugh, looking at Nova oddly.

 

"You and Immortal handling the weapons deal?" Dan looks between the two.

 

"Oh, right." Nova wasn't excited by this news. He and Immortal haven't been on a solo mission together yet. They didn't even train together yet. And it's been maybe 6 months since Immortal joined The Creatures.

 

"We handle anything." Immortal confirms with a smirk. Novas eyebrow twitches, that might've been the first time he's seen the other look anything but grumpy.

 

Hm.

 

Nova stared at the others challenging gaze, "We're taking my car."

 

  
\---

 

  
Yeah, they couldn't handle it.

 

This group was new and The Creatures had never done any business with them, this being their first. It didn't leave either Nova or Immortal very satisfied.

 

The boss man -who went by Priest for whatever fucking reason- picked up an AR to check over it, held it up to one of his six men as a joke then to Nova's chest. Nova tensed but to his credit, he did not panic. He heard Immortal scuff behind him.

 

"Done yes? Is all you wanted." Immortal stepped up to beside Nova now, Priest moved the barrel to Immortal.

 

Nova had not moved his head, and still didn't when Immortal snarled and started to move foreword. He only put an arm in front of the shorter, stopping him.

 

"Now, now," Nova started, eyes boring into Priest's who was smirking at Immortal. Great, please, keep antagonizing the Russian.

 

Neither had been alone on a mission before but Nova knows that Immortal has a temper that can rival his own. And they did _not_ need that right now.

 

"We can talk this out can't we?" Nova raised his brows, waiting for a movement.

 

Priest smiled, nodded, lowed the gun and nodding to his men. Nova relaxed a fraction, that was a mistake.

 

Almost right away two of the guys picked up other guns off the table whipping them up and over to the two Creatures.

 

Shots went off and Nova acted on pure instinct knocking Immortal backwards with his body and pushed them both backwards behind the table.

 

"Fuck," Nova gripped his side, bullet hit, probably just a flesh wound, he thought as he hefted his hand gun from his waist band up to shoot one man in the head and another in the chest.

 

"Good?" Immortal asked from his place beside him, knives in his hand. There was only Priest and one man left.

 

"Yeah, yeah," Nova nodded, he wasn't feeling the pain yet, maybe adrenaline.

 

Immortal stands, throws a knife and Nova hears a body fall. The Russian aims at Priest, "sorry for bad business." He says, the last knife leaves his hand and it's suddenly silent.

 

"Koots is gonna be pissed." Nova realizes, with a groan and shuddered breath. He presses on the bleeding -just above his hip, definitely not just a flesh wound- and now he's feeling it. Yep, definitely.

 

"What," Immortal heard the other struggle and quickly looked over the man, " _дерьмо_."

 

"Huh?" Nova finds it funny when the other slips back into his language, but also confusing because he can't understand what he's saying.

 

"Need to leave, will be others, can walk?" Immortal asked, standing and making sure there was no one else in the room with his shoulders tensed, ready for another fight. Paranoid fucker, Nova huffs.

 

"Of course I can fuckin' walk," Nova pushed himself up through the pain, gripping the table with white knuckles. Immortal appears next to him, eyes narrowed and looking a little fazed. Nova tilts his head, more emotion, looks like the shorter is human after all.

 

Immortal nods starts walking but keeps a close eye on how Nova continues to get slower and begins to breathe more heavily.

 

"Okay, come on," Immortal mutters, shoving himself under Novas arm and propping the other up as best he could.

 

Nova groans as Immortal practically drags the taller to his car. Opening the back seats and laying the other down. It was a nice car too, now there's going to be blood on it. Well, whoops.

 

"Don't have first aid kit, do you?" Immortal tried, already knowing the answer before Nova shook his head.

 

"Well, can improvise, eh?" Immortal winces as Nova breathes a soft laugh.

 

 

\---

 

 

"You're slow today, huh?" Nova smirks at the Russian. Since that weapons deal job he and Immortal have gotten, somewhat closer you could say.

 

Immortal jokes a lot more now, goes along with some that Nova tells, they jab each other anytime they can. But he doesn't seem to continue the attitude around the rest of the crew. But hell they were even _sparring_  together now. Nova will take whatever he can.

 

"You are slow everyday." Immortal threw his weight into a punch that Nova completely avoided.

 

Chuckling at the childish jab, Nova swings back, Immortal avoids but the talkers arm came around his neck and locks him in place.

 

"And that is why we are working on your hand to hand." Nova comments, smirk growing at Immortals snarl. He lets the Russian go, "Knife is better than fist." the shorter decides, turning away.

 

Nova hums, "debatable." He watched Immortal powder his hands again, turn back around and take a stance, "Again now."

 

Nova eyes the Russian, he's been looking tired lately. Exhausted actually.

 

"What's with you?" Nova wonders aloud, not meaning any ill intent but it looked like Immortal took it that way.

 

"Thinking." That's the last Immortal spoke that day. Nova choose not to question it.

 

"Yeah alright I'll pretend that's the truth." Nova takes a breath, 'If you don't throw your whole body into one punch you'll fight longer." he critiques, the other follows and succeeds.

 

  
\---

 

  
Eventually, they got put on the job together again. They did good, and kept doing good. Kootra and Dan saw this and surprisingly didn't say anything. Just kept signing them off for more missions. Aron didn't go on many more jobs after Immortal came in, mostly kept to collecting weapons.

 

Nova would be comfortable calling Immortal his partner in all this. He could only hope the feeling was mutual. But hoping is never enough for Nova.

 

"Do you consider us partners?" Nova asked Immortal one night all the guys weren't around.

 

The question startled Immortal to say the least, Nova could see it. Immortal wasn't as closed off as he'd like to think himself to be.

 

"Uh, well. Yes."

 

  
\---

 

  
Nova doesn't know how this happened. Actually no, he knows exactly how this happened. Kootra fucked up, sending them in blind, and Nova will reem him for it when he gets back but right now he focused on Immortal. Or more importantly _finding_  him.

 

The plan fell through. They got separated. Being separated from Immortal made Novas stomach churn as he quickly made his way through the warehouse looking for his partner.

 

He quicker his pace, following the sounds of sudden yelling.

 

"After him! Make sure to find his partner too!" Nova recognized the voice as Lance -the man Koots wanted them to take out-, why he was yelling, who fucking knows.

 

Nova could always guess that Immortal had run away from Lance or done _something_  like he's so good at.

 

He rolled his eyes as he rounded a corner, thinking about this. He did not in fact expect a knife at his thought but here he was. It was dark in this building and Nova could barley see a thing, which made him feel panicked to say the least.

 

He grabbed the arm and pushed it down, nailing the other to the ground with a grunt. The man then sent an elbow into Nova's ribs and swung wildly, catching him off guard. Nova swings at the man under him, not thinking of pulling his gun while he makes a few hits.

 

" _черт_ ," the man gritted out when Nova made contact with his chest, which made Nova stop all movement and squint down. A mistake of course, letting the other gain control, pushing Nova away and colliding with the wall. The knife returned to his neck.

 

"Immortal?" Nova gripped the mans shoulder, other hand grabbed his gun and jabbed it into the mans stomach in case it wasn't who he thought it was.

 

There was a large sigh of relief, "Nova," Immortal responded. Nova immediately pulled his gun away and Immortal slowly lowered his arm but still looked out of it.

 

Then again Nova couldn't see the Russians face, he just made note of how Immortal was leaning heavily on his hand which was still on Nova, taking deep breaths trying to even his breathing. He's hurt.

 

"You good?" Nova tried to squint again but more noises caught his ear. Lance was running down the other hall, barking orders at him guys and getting closer each second. Nova needed to do something, "Alright we gotta move."

 

Immortal pushed off the other and peaked around the corner, quickly throwing a knife, "Fuck!" one of the enemies hollered. Nova would've laughed at this -well he kind of did, more hysterical than excitement- but he's pretty sure Immortal and couldn't take these guys a  _second_ time. 

 

"Jesus what the  _fuck are you doing_ ," Nova hissed as he grabbed the others sleeve, pulling him back then pushing him to the side, "we need to  _run_ , dumbass."

 

So they indeed ran, Nova had to send a few bullets behind them and push Immortal in the right directions at times but he was sure they were heading the right way. Nova is starting to feel  _panicked_ in this building. Nova does not feel  _panicked._ So you could see why he'd think this was a problem and then panic more because  _problems_ aren't traditionally good either.

 

At the sight of the exit the feeling died down a little. The feeling then skyrocketed at the sight of Immortal tripping over his  _own god damned feet_ and eating shit.

 

"Fucking-" Nova curses and hefts his partner up off the floor and half drags half carries him to the door, basically tossing the Russian on the concrete outside and turned back to the crew following them. Koots wanted them taken out? O-fucking-kay, Nova decides.

 

Novas face twists as he walked back into the building with silent fury. He did not have his bag of explosives but he can make do. With his gun in hand he waits. Wait for the  _asses_ to come around the last corner then like they are waiting in line for a roller coaster he shoots the leading ones point blank. While they were occupied for the next five seconds, Nova fished through his pocket for the one bomb he  _did_ happen to have. A run of the mill grenade.

 

"Come on now," Nova called, letting his accent fully shine, "that was an accident on my part. Just like how you accidentally hurt my partner and pissed off my boss." he paused for a moment, holding his tall stance in the middle of the hall, the only thing filling the silence was furious murmuring and Novas teeth grinding, "Well now you've  _accidentally_ pissed me off."

 

He pulls the pins, walks for two seconds before throwing it and walking back out the door with the same attitude he walked in with. Right outside the door there was Immortal, who was about to get the brunt of Novas temper. Grabbing the Russians shoulders and shoving him back into the middle area of the semi-empty parking lot, there were shouts and then an explosion that shook the doors.

 

Nova finally looked over Immortal. His right eye is swollen and closed up, a deep gash on his jaw that was an angry red, bloody nose, several bruises that were already forming and by the way his left arm is hanging limp, it's probably dislocated. 

 

"What the  _fuck_ happened," Nova lowly asks, Immortal doesn't respond, just stares somewhere over the talkers head. okay, add concussion to the list, "Alright, we need to leave. You can't walk." Nova pointed out, suddenly feeling tired. Maybe Dan can pick them up. Yeah he'll call Dan. 

 

 After setting Immortal down, leaning him on one of the cars tires, he dialed a number. 

 

"Immortal got fucked up." Nova announced after Dans  _hello_ , "Make sure Kootra knows that he gave us the wrong information." he had forgotten how angry he was with Kootra. He's tired. Maybe he'll reem the bossman out tomorrow.

 

Nova told him where they were then Dan asked about Immortal's injuries, he was losing mass amounts of blood or if Nova thought he had a head wound. Nova looked over at the other, "Well no major cuts or anything but I'm pretty sure someone knocked his head around." he crouches next to Immortal, and takes the phone away from his face, "Hey, how many fingers." he holds up four.

 

" _пять_ " Immortal murmurs, Nova dropped his hand and talks to dan again, "Right, well, I don't speak Russian so I don't know what he said." he said, almost angry that he didn't knoW the others language.

 

"I'm on my way, just don't let him sleep and keep him talking." Dan said and hung up.

 

"Right. Okay." Nova nods to himself, sitting down next to a car adjacent to Immortal he waves a hand in front of the others face, "You can't sleep man, sorry. Doctors orders." his comment causes Immortal to groan.

 

"Alright uhh, tell em something I don't know about you." Nova suggests, immediately after the word come out of his mouth he realizes that's a very open ended suggestion.

 

Immortal tilts his head up to the sky and sighs rather loudly, " _Хотите узнать мое имя?_ _"_ he asked looking back at Nova now.

 

The other man brings a hand to his face, "English man, in English." 

   
"Aleks." Immortal murmurs, catching Nova off guard, pulling a face.

 

"Huh?"

 

"Me. My name. Aleks, k and s, no x." Immortal-or, Aleks, groggily explains.

 

Nova's heart skipped a beat, Kootra always said they weren't supposed to know each others real names. Names are liabilities. Now Nova can't unlearn the others name. Just a risk he will have to be willing to take.

 

"James." Nova said suddenly after three second of silence, "My name."

 

Aleks painfully smiles and prompetly passes out.

 

   
\---

 

 

After _that_ bad job, there were two more that followed. Both James and Aleks -oh sorry,  _Nova and Immortal-_ got hurt and you bet your ass Nova got on Kootras ass about each one. But he knew the leader would do nothing about it. He never did before, why would he start now.

 

 

\---

 

 

James laughed as he thought about where they were now. They as in himself and Aleks. Yes, they were in fact calling each other by first names and yes it did anger Kootra to no end. Yes they two of them had gotten closer. James learned a lot of new things about the Russian -his dad was involved with the mob, the mom died because of said involvement, Aleks had become a stowaway and managed to get to America, earning himself a name and disconnecting from his fathers'-, Aleks learned more about James -james did very well in school, shinning mostly in math and science, constructed his first bomb when he was 15 and watched when it blew up his neighbors car that was so obviously abusing his wife, he really loves his mom and cogis-, and both of them seemed fine sharing all this. then again, they were both very drunk.

 

"So," James dragged the 'o' out, "have you been thinking about much lately 'cause me?" he pointed to himself, "I have."

 

Aleks huffed. The name really fit him -then again so did 'Immortal'-, James thought, especially with the 'ks', the stubborn part of him that always wanted things done  _his_ way. he refocused on the other because he started to talk.

 

"What is it you have thought about." Aleks inquired. 

 

"Oh you know, just about the crew." James waved his hand, "What it would be like if we started our own." he added as he sipped at his beer.

 

Aleks stayed silent for a minute, and James' muddled brain took that as a bad sign, anxiety washing through him, "It was  just an idea, it's just whatever-"

 

"I think it is good idea," Aleks settled, drinking through a smirk. James smiled wide band  held his bottle up, Aleks put his up and they clinked.

 

 

\---

 

 

Thinking about where they are  _now_ , seemed like 50 years instead 5 months. After that night, they both recalled the pervious conversation and had an actual sit down talk about it, it was weird, they didn't do that much but they did it and had everything figured out. Aleks had some contacts he wanted to try out for crew members and James had the connections for a new base of operations. They had offered Aron a place, he appreciated it but he wanted to completely drop out from this life, James and Aleks respected that and promised they'd tell him when shit was about to go down.

 

They had to wait a couple months to sort certain things out, but otherwise it was just waiting for the right time. By right time, they mean the time at which  _both_ of them were ready. Aleks was definietly ready, but considered if it would be hard for James because he'd been running with them for so much longer then Aleks.

 

James loudly recommended Aron go out to stake out a place, Aron looked at him for a long second and nodded. In that moment Aleks realized _here we go._

 

 

\---

 

 

They left the place in  _shambles_. Took as many weapons they could, grabbed their go bags, piled everything into Aleks' favorite car of the crew, a nice, slick, black corvette, and got the _fuck_ outta there.

 

James never thought he'd ever see  _either_ of them so happy as Aleks sped down the street, laughing like a damn maniac.

 

 

\---

 

 

  
"Yo," James skipped down the stairs, looking up to see Aleks in the kitchen shaking a pan around with what looked like a pancake in it.

 

One of James' connections -Brett, the old crew worked with him once before and James appreciated Brett's attitude, he told the young to contact him if he ever needed anything and didn't seem too surprised with James' call- hooked them up with a huge ass, two story warehouse. It had a kitchen, pluming, AC,  _rooms_. It was perfect.

 

"What're you making there?" He inquired.

 

"Attempting some pancakes. How many do you want?" Aleks admitted unconfidently, and in prefect English.. He didn't take his eyes off the pan but at the silence his question was met with he wondered if James had actually left the room.

 

James knew he probably had an almost flabbergasted look on his face, but, what the fuck?

 

Aleks finally looked up, "What?" Aleks straightened his back, why was he looking at him that way?

 

"You-But-" James couldn't seem to form his words, "You-Have you been working on your accent?" it seemed to be the only plausible explanation, but why wouldn't he have told James about that? And he couldn't have done it just over night.

 

"Oh," Aleks casts one last look to the pancakes and scratches his neck, "yeah. I can speak fine."

 

His voice sounded so strange with no accent, James thought, maybe a bit higher and more, relaxed.

 

"For how long could you 'speak fine'?" James asked, eyes narrowing and face twisting. He felt a sense of betrayal.

 

"Uh," Aleks looked like a could read James' mind and was realizing that he'd fucked up, "a little after I came here."

 

"'Here' as in fucking  _America_?" James' voice must have raised about two octaves but this is blowing him away.

 

Aleks only nodded, at a loss. How could the Russian not expect this type of reaction? Hell was he even Russian? James looked down and quickly disregarded that thought, of course he would, that story seemed too real in Aleks' eyes back when he told him.

 

James just didn't know what to say. The man in front of him, his best friend, lied about a very vital thing a part of his life? James may or may not be over-reacting a bit but, still. It was like looking at a stranger almost.

 

"Why not tell me?" James looked back up at Aleks who played with the ring around his finger, damn right he should be nervous.

 

But the shorter man only shrugged.

 

James shook his head, "Jesus Christ." he shook his head and walked away.

 

"James-" Aleks tried but James was already back up stairs.

 

 

\---

 

 

Aleks had left a plate of pancakes on the counter. James stared at them before giving in. He picked one up and took a large bite. It was cold and probably should've been on the stove a little longer but as the first since yesterday morning he's eaten, it's great. He grabbed two more and went off to find his friend. Because yes, Aleks is still his friend.

 

It took James almost too long to think of the armory, regarding to where Aleks might be. It will be the third place he would've checked. But he was right. Aleks was there methodically stabbing a dummy. He was using his 'special knives', the ones with a Russian saying that, when James asked about before, he scuffed and never told him so he didn't ask again.

 

"Your pancakes are shit." James spoke loudly, startling Aleks. He turned himself around and aimed at James but then quickly lowered his arms and muttered something under his breath.

 

James hummed, "Uh excuse me what was that?" he raised his eyebrows, waiting.

 

Aleks looked up, eyebrows also raised, "At least i tried right?" to which James only made an 'eh' sound, still getting used to the voice, even though it seems to somehow fit him better then the accent does.

 

"So I got over myself," James started, which is as close to an apology he will  _ever_ get, "I still wanna know why you didn't tell me sooner. Like back when we started with our names sooner."

 

James let the other gather his words for about a minute, "You wanna know what this says?" Aleks holds up both his knives, they each said something different, one has one word and the other has two. James didn't expect this to be in the explanation but he will take what he can get, he nodded and gestured to continue.

 

"It's a Russian proverb, _'Доверяй, но проверяй'_ ," he explains, the language rolling easily off his tongue.

 

"English man, in English." James sighed, but with a smirk on his face. Aleks huffed a small laugh, recognizing the words from a long time ago..

 

"Basically it says, _Trust, but check._ " Aleks sighed now too, "It was kinda my way to check, so I do trust you but with all this I don't blame you if you still need to check, you know?" he turned away to put the knives back into the case.

 

"Um, no, I don't know," James tilted his head, "I don't trust you any less man, it just-you-I don't know. Confused me is all." James found his words and hoped he made a convincing argument.

 

"Alright but-" Aleks started, until James waved his hand, "-But nothing. Who was that contact you were talking about the other day, I found one too." James derails the conversation because he is done with this one.

 

Aleks pauses at the sudden hang in topic but then nods to himself, "Uh yeah, goes by Modest Cube sometimes, his name is Trevor. Who's yours?"

 

 

\---

 

 

"Right so! Trevor, Joe, really glad you're here now. Brett, where's Aleks?" James looks to the older man.

 

"Fuck if I know." he shrugs. James sighs, "Thank you, for helping so much."

 

"No problem bud." Brett smiles widely.

 

"Hello, I am here now." James jumped about seven feet in the air -not that he'd ever mention it- at the Russian accented voice, and reason slipped his mind and his hand went for the gun tucked in his waist band before realizing,  _holy fuck it's A_ _leks._

 

"What-" James let slip from his mouth, looking over the other who was nodding at the two new men, introducing himself. James suddenly remembered from a couple weeks ago - _trust, but check_ -, he's checking, "what the fuck took so long?"

 

 

\---

 

 

"So is Aleks actually from Russia?" James looked up from cleaning his gun at Trevor, he was looking at Brett expectantly.

 

Brett looked as confused as James felt with this question, "What the fuck, yeah I mean I'm pretty sure? Why don't you just ask him?" the eldest chuckled.

 

"Well because what if he gets like mad?" Trevor gave a childlike shrug.

 

"He wouldn't get  _mad_ ," James joined the conversation, smirking, "He'd just wanna spar with you next time"

 

Trevor perks up at James, "Oh wait you've known him for how long now? You'd know." Trevor figured and James sighed, great.

 

"Yes, he's actually from Russia, I forgot what part but yeah, born there 'til 8." James felt a little awkward telling them this, wonder when said Russian would be back from his weapons run for Joe. 

 

Joe tilted his head curiously, "If he's been here so long why can't he speak good English? Or at least not so broken English," at this James chuckled, why did he not fucking think of that once Aleks revealed he'd been in America over half his life? Who fucking knows.

 

"Well," James said, pausing because is he really going to reveal his best friends major trust system? Yes, he was. "He  _can_ speak good English. Perfect actually."

 

"What?" Joe asked the same time Trevor yelled "Really?" a little too loudly.

 

"Jesus yes he can, can you not yell? Christ," James shook his head, huffing and setting down his gun, sensing a long conversation ahead.

 

"Are you memeing or can he actually?" It's Brett that questions him now. James huffs a smile, about to ask why it was so hard to believe but then he'd be a hypocrite. 

 

Nodding, he answers, "No, I'm being for real here. The accent it like his trust thing." Brett looks unimpressed with this wording, James is unimpressed with himself too, "Say if he trusts you, no accent, if you're new or on the opposite end of his knife, the accent is there."

 

Trevor looks utterly fascinated by this, "Does he speak normally around you?" he asks, eyebrows raised.

 

James blinks, "Yes." Trevor makes a sound of annoyance but James is already silencing him, "hey, hey, no. It's not that he doesn't trust you, he just need to do it in his own time. Hell, it took him about two years for me. You guys have only been here two months."

 

Brett chuckles, "Way to pull the best friend card." James groans and the others laugh.

 

About two minutes later the garage door opens and that same black corvette they stole drove in, Aleks exited it and pointed to Joe, "Got your things, in the back."

 

James made sure to eye Trevor and try to telepathically tell him not to say anything about the conversation that just ended. Trevor seemed to get the message and groan really loud, "I'll help you Joe since no one  _else_ is." he declared loudly, James scoffs and Brett hold out the finger.

 

 

\---

 

 

They normally try to eat meals together, they usually only manage to get one -maybe two- meals as a full crew. The two said meals were almost always lunch and dinner.Brett and James are the cooks, no one will let anybody else cook because that hadn't ended very good. ending usually in fires, yeah not good.

 

But right now for dinner everyone is here -that includes new month old recruits Asher -the crews hacker-and Anna -provided intel and was acting medic-, Brett had made some type of pasta, no one was really paying attention, James was currently tell a story. The whole crew knew that he was good at colorfully recreating memories.

 

"So that was how me and Aleksandr escaped a bear attack." James proudly concluded his story, just as Brett brought the food.

 

"Likely story." The mann chuckled.

 

"Hey so Aleks," Joe started, taking the end in conversation as an opportunity to start another, looked keenly at the other before Asher asked, "can you do an American accent?" to which James put his head in his hands, Brett through his head back, Trevors head whipped up fast enough to give himself whiplash, Anna tried -and failed- to suppress a smile, and Aleks looked unamused.

 

Everyone was silent for a second, "Well?" Trevor prompted.

 

"Why no Trevor i can't do an American accent, sorry to disappoint." Aleks said monotonously but in perfect English.

 

Outrage broke at the table and Aleks saw that Trevor passed Asher a twenty, "Did you  _bet_ on me?" Aleks laughed.

 

"Of course I did, dude what the fuck." Trevor laughed too.

 

While everyone was talking loudly, trying their own Russian accents out and laughing at each other in the process, James found Aleks' eyes, they nodded at each other. They can handle this.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Russian translations (I used google translate so if you see something wrong please tell me)  
> дерьмо - shit  
> черт - damn  
> пять - five  
> Хотите узнать мое имя? - wanna know my name?
> 
>  
> 
> yoooooo follow me?  
> ig- video.select  
> tumblr- video-select


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